Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven has sentenced Illya Frederick Plavljanich II (36, Lakeland) to 15 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material. He is also required to register as a sex offender. Plavljanich had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2023.
According to court documents, in August 2018, using a social media application, Plavljanich distributed two videos of children being sexually abused. In May 2022, Plavljanich coerced and enticed a minor into producing an image of child sexual abuse material, which he then shared over the internet. Law enforcement searched Plavljanich’s cellphone and found approximately 1,271 images and 536 videos of child sexual abuse material.
“Arresting predators like Plavljianich and holding them accountable for victimizing children will always be a focus of our HSI special agents,” said HSI Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “Alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, we vow to continue protecting our most vulnerable from becoming lifetime victims.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.